Off Duty Coast Guardsman Saves Man From Drowning

CHICAGO — An off-duty member of Coast Guard Station Calumet Harbor rescued an unconscious 30-year-old man from the water approximately 100 yards north of North Avenue beach today between 1 and 1:30 p.m.

“I was playing volleyball just north of the beach, when there was a commotion. Some people were looking for a lifeguard,” said Port Security Specialist 3rd Class Joshua Bubinas, Chicagoan and reservist assigned to the Harbor Patrol Detachment.

Bubinas approached a ledge near the beach with an 8-10-foot height from the water when he saw a man struggling and treading water.

“When he couldn’t answer questions and went under, I jumped in,” said Bubinas.

“He must have been winded.”

Bubinas had one hand on the ledge and one holding the 30-year-old in the near-65 degree water.

A Chicago Park District lifeboat arrived on-scene to transfer the man back to shore.

“We got him up on the Chicago lifeboat, and I stuck around till the EMT arrived,” said Bubinas.

Bubinas has been with the Harbor Patrol Detachment for two years and enlisted in the Coast Guard four years ago.